Kolkata, March 17 : Kolkata-adjacent Howrah Lok Sabha constituency in West Bengal is set for a three-cornered contest in the upcoming Lok Sabha election.
However, two factors are likely to make the contest tough this time for the sitting Trinamool Congress MP and former Indian footballer Prasun Banerjee.
First, there is a strong opposition candidate. The second is the acute internal factionalism within Trinamool Congress in the constituency. The opposition to Banerjee’s re-nomination has come from a family member of the party Supremo and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
Howrah is one of the few constituencies in West Bengal, where all the major contesting political parties have declared the names of their respective candidates.
BJP has fielded the erstwhile Mayor of Trinamool Congress-controlled Howrah Municipal Corporation Rathin Chakraborty. He is expected to give Banerjee a tough fight this time.
CPI(M) on the other hand fielded Calcutta High Court counsel Sabyasachi Chatterjee. Although, a fresher in electoral politics, Chatterjee has become quite popular in the civil society for his forceful arguments at the Calcutta High Court in favour of the illegally deprived candidates in the multi-crore cash-for-school job case in West Bengal.
Chatterjee can make a substantial dent in the anti-BJP vote back, favoured Trinamool Congress in a few last elections, which can be a factor of discomfort for Banerjee.
Chief Minister’s younger brother Swapan Banerjee a.k.a. Babun has recently described Banerjee as the most “unfit’ candidate for Howrah. Babun had even said that he would contest as an independent from Howrah.
After the Chief Minister intervened and threatened to sever all family ties with her younger brother, Swapan softened his stand and also backtracked from his decision to contest as an independent candidate.
Prasun Banerjee has downplayed the developments, saying that when the blessings of the Chief Minister are with he needs not be bothered.
Meanwhile, Chakraborty and Chatterjee will make corruption the predominant talking point during their campaigns.
Non-Bengali-speaking voters constitute over 20 per cent of the total voter strength of over 15 lakhs in Howrah. The constituency is often termed the Sheffield of the East due to its predominance of the foundry industry.
